Display means



July 13, 1965 G. s. HAWIE 3,194,405

DISPLAY MEANS Filed March 9. 1964 I NVEN TOR.

damlel S. Han 6 BY W M W flTTQI A EYS United States Patent 3,194,405 DISPLAY MEANS Gabriel S. Hawie, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to The Hawie Manufacturing Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Mar. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 350,198 Claims. (Cl. 2111-89) This invention relates to means for suspending a plurality of articles in desired relative positions from a vertical support, such as a Wall or partition, and more particularly for supporting articles which are removably attached to clips which in turn are suspended from the support for display purposes.

An object of this invention is to provide improved mounting means for attaching the article-holding clips to a sheet metal supporting member which may be secured to a wall or partition in closely spaced relation thereto, the support having a plurality of spaced holes to removably receive mounting means whereby the relative positions of the articles on the support may be changed without detaching the articles from their respective clips.

A feature of this invention is the provision of mounting means for the clip in the form of a lug adapted to extend through a hole in the supporting member and having laterally extending wings to engage the inner surfaces of marginal edges of the hole. The distance between the tips of the wings is sufliciently greater than the distance between opposite marginal edges of the hole in the support, so that when the mounting means is inserted in the hole at a slight angle to the plane of the support and then assumes a position with the wings parallel to the plane of the support, at least some portion of the wings will engage the inner surface of the support and retain the mounting means in the hole with the lug engaging the bottom of the hole. By reversing the procedure, the mounting means may be removed from the support.

As a result of this arrangement, the mounting means and the clip for the article may be attached and removed from the supporting plate quickly and securely without the use of tools and without requiring access to the rear of the supporting plate.

A further feature of this invention is the provision of the mounting means from a single sheet metal blank which, when formed, provides the'lug and its wings and also a barrel portion encircling the usual wire loop on the clip and preferably forming a rotatable connection between the mounting means and the clip.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation showing the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the device showing it attached to a supporting plate which in turn is attached to a wall, the plate being mounted in a horizontal plane.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the mounting means.

FIG. 4 is a side view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2 of the device of the present invention showing the wall and supporting plate in section.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but shows the supporting plate mounted in a vertical position.

FIG. 6 is a detail view of the blank from which the mounting means may be formed.

FIG. 7 shows the device of the" present invention with the mounting means folded down to reduce the overall length of the device.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the articlesuspending means comprises a suitable article-engaging member which, as shown by way of example, may comprise a clip 14 such as is disclosed in my Patent 3,194,405 Patented July 13, 1965 2,837,806. It has a fixed jaw 11 and a movable jaw 12 and a manually operable member 13 for moving the fixed jaw from an open position to a closed position in which an article to be displayed is securely held within the jaws of the clip.

The clip 10 also includes a loop 14 by means of which it may be suspended from a nail, screw or other means carried by a supporting member.

According to the present invention, the clip 10 is suspended from an elongate sheet metal bar, such as a vertical bar 15 shown in FIG. 5, or a horizontal bar 16 shown in FIG. 2. The bars 15 and 16 may have any suitable or desirable length and have bent-over lateral edges 17 which space the front-of the bar from a wall 18 or other vertical support when the bar is secured thereto as by screws 19. The bar has a plurality of holes 26 shaped to removably receive and hold mounting means 21, one of which is provided for each clip 10 and which are, according to the present invention, adapted for easy manipulation and form convenient and secure means for suspending the clips 10 and the articles carried thereby.

The mounting means 21 of the present invention has a barrel portion 22 encircling a straight portion 23 of the wire loop 14 of the clip. While the barrel portion 22 may tightly embrace the portion 23 of the Wire loop, it is preferable that it be sufficiently loose to provide a pivotal connection between the mounting means and the clip so that, when the device is suspended from the supporting plate, the clip portion may be raised to expose the underside of any articles carried thereby.

Another advantage of having the mounting means pivotally mounted on the loop is that, as shown in FIG. 7, the mounting means may be folded down on the clip and thus reduce its overall length and facilitate packing and shipping of the combined clip and mounting means.

Connected to the barrel portion 22 is a lug 24 having a horizontally extending neck portion 25 and vertically extending wings 26. The neck portion 25 is sufficiently narrow to permit it to enter and remain in a hole, such as the elongate hole 20 shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. The Wing portion 26 has a width which is slightly greater than the largest dimension of the hole in the supporting plate so that, when the mounting means is mounted on the supporting plate, the tips of the wings 26 hold the mounting means in the hole against accidental removal.

To apply the mounting means of the present invention to the supporting plate, the device is held at an angle to the supporting plate and one wing is passed through the hole, after which, when the edge of the hole enters the space between the wing and barrel portion, the device is swung so that the wings lie substantially parallel to the inner surface of the supporting plate. In this condition, the horizontal portion of the lug engages the bottom of the hole in the supporting plate and, due to the weight of the clip and any article which it carries, the wing portions 26 press against the inner surface of the supporting plate because the horizontal portion pivots on the bottom edge of the hole. The device is thus securely anchored in the hole so long as there is a vertical force applied to the horizontal portion 25. To remove the device, it is lifted and placed at an angle to the supporting plate so that first one and then the opposite wing can be slid through the hole.

In the broader aspects of this invention, the mounting means may be made of a piece of sheet metal having the barrel formed around the wire 14. However, it is preferable to prepare the blank for the mounting means in the form shown in FIG. 6, in which the horizontal portion 25 is formed from portions 25a and 25b and the Wings 2e are formed from the portions 26a and 261;, the barrel-forming portion 22a being bent around the wire 26 of the loop, thereby completely encircling the latter and superposingvthe portions 25a and 25b and 26a and 26b respectively. By this arrangement,- economies can be eifected without loss of strength, since thinner and more ductile sheet metal can be used to make the mounting means.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims andportions of the improvements maybe used without others. 1

I claim: I a 1 V 1. In an article-suspending means comprising anelongate sheet. metal support'having ,a plurality of spaced 7 holes thereon arranged in a row and article-engaging means having'releasable means for attachment. to an article to be suspended and amounting loop: the improvement comprising mounting means having a barrel portion encircling aiportion of said mounting loop and a lug having a horizontal neck portion and laterally and .2; In an article-suspending means comprising an elont gate, sheet metal support having a plurality of: spaced holes thereon arranged in a row and article-engaging 1 means having releasable means for attachment to; an "articlefto be suspended and a mounting loop: the-improvement comprisingmounting means having a barrel portion encircling'a portion of said mounting loop and a lug having a horizontal neck portion and laterally and vertically extending Wing portions, the lattenhaving tip portions spaced apart a greater distance than the greatest dimension of the ;hole toengage the adjacent edges defining the hole on theback side of the support,

there being a space between the barrel portionand eachadjacent wing portion sufiicient to allow a wing portion to enter; 'or leave the hole inthe support when a wing portion is presented edg'ewise and angularly'to the hole.

3. In an'article-suspending means comprising an elon- V gate sheet metal support having a plurality of spaced holes thereon arranged in a row andarticle-engagin'g.

means having releasable means for attachment to an article to be suspendedand a mounting loop: the improvement comprising mounting means having a barrel portionencircling a portion of said mounting loop and a .lug having a horizontal'neck portion and laterallyand vertically extending wingt 'portions, the latter having '7 tipportions s'pacedapatta greateri distanceathan, the;

greatest dimensionjof the hole to engage :the adjacent edges defining theihole on the back sidejof the support; '.there being 'a space between the, bar

adjacent wing portion "sufficient to allow portion is presented edgewise and angularlyito the' hole,

\ the wing portions having a height substantiallygreater; than the narrowest {dimension of the hole sotzas to engage i the. inner surface of the'support adjacent .thetop marginal edge of the hole'when theneck portion is ts-e agement L p with the bottom edge-oftheehole.

4. In an 'article-suspending means comprising anrelon- 'gate1sheet -metalisupport havingl a plurality of spaced 7 holesithereon arranged in :ai row, and. artick'Q-engzigingx means having Irele'asable' meansfor attachrnent to an";

article to be suspended and; .a mounting loop z the provem'ent comprising mountingv means having. a barrel: l portion encircling a'po'rtion of said mounting lo op and a lug having a horizontalneck portion-and laterally and"? 7 vertically extending wing portions to engage the'adj ac'ent edges-defining the hole onthe'back sid e of the "support;

the barrel portion being mounted on the'loopjfor pivotal movement. I i

5. An article-suspending meansas defined-in c'laimz 4 ,j in which the .lug comprises 'a ,sheet metallblank' the barrel-forming portion of which is bent around the mount;

ing loop to encircle the latter 'and to superpose' themeck-f forming and wing-forming" portions;

References Citedghy theExaminerii V i l, UNITEDSTATESLPATENTS CLAUDE A. LE' ROY, Primary Examimn.

rel lportion andggeach I I 'wing portion a to enter :or leave the hole in the support E when a wing 

1. IN AN ARTICLE-SUSPENDING MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGAGE SHEET METAL SUPPORT HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED HOLES THEREON ARRANGED IN A ROW AND ARTICLE-ENGAGING MEANS HAVING RELEASABLE MEANS FOR ATTACHMENT TO AN ARTICLE TO BE SUSPENDED AND A MOUNTING LOOP: THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING MOUNTING MEANS HAVING A BARREL PORTION ENCIRCLING A PORTION OF SAID MOUNTING LOOP AND A LUG HAVING A HORIZONTAL NECK PORTION AND LATERALLY AND VERTICALLY EXTENDING WING PORTIONS, THE LATTER HAVING A HEIGHT SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE NARROWEST DIMENSION OF THE HOLE SO AS TO ENGAGE THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SUPPORT ADJACENT THE TOP MARGINAL EDGE OF THE HOLE WHEN THE NECK PORTION IS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE HOLE. 